Press Release: Erasmus: Record number of students receive EU grants for study and training abroad

More than 213,000 students received 'Erasmus' grants to study or train abroad during the 2009/10 academic year – a new record and 7.4% increase on the previous year's figure. Erasmus is the world's most successful student exchange programme and, on current trends, the EU will reach its target of supporting 3 million European students by 2012/13 since the programme's launch in 1987.

The three most popular destinations for students in 2009/10 were Spain, France and the United Kingdom. Spain sent the largest number of students abroad, followed by France and Germany. 61% of Erasmus students were female in the year in question. The EU invested € 415 million in Erasmus in 2009/10.